Apparatus for heating counter portions of shoes



May 27, 1930- H. H. BECKWITH APPARATUS FOR HEATING COUNTER PORTIONS OF SHOES Filed 001;. 4, 1928 Patented May 27, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY H. BECKWITH, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS APPARATUSFOR HEATING COUNTER PORTIONS F SHOES Application filed October 4, 1928. Serial No. 310,319.

counters to the wearers foot as more particu-' larly disclosed and claimed in my application for patent Serial No. 290,310, filed July 5, 1928, for shoe having a counter stiffener and method of shaping the counter. In accordance with that process the counter stifiener contains a thermoplastic stiffening agent so that the stifiener when in the finished shoe may be softened by subjecting the shoe to a moderate degree of heat, whereupon the counter is molded while on the foot of the wearer to the contour of the foot thus to be conformed thereto, and while in this condition it is permitted to harden.

According to the present invention the heating of the counter to soften the stiffener is accomplished by blowing heated air thereagainst, thus avoiding danger of overheating and burning the shoe which might occur with the heat applied more directly from a high temperature heating unit. In accordance with this invention, therefore, the shoe is suspended over a member from which the heated air is caused to issue directly against the side walls of the counter, and preferably means are also provided to prevent the heated air from extending into the toe portion of the shoe and softening the toe stiffener which is commonly stiflened with thermoplastic material.

For a more complete understanding of this invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the heating support, a shoe being shown in section in position thereon.

Figure 2 is a detail section on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective of a fan. Figure f is a fragmentary perspective of a heating unit.

Figure 5 is a unit.

Referring to these drawings, at 1 is indicated a stand having a suitable base 2 on which it is supported. The major portion of detail of a portion of this the upright part of this stand comprises an electrical blowing unit. This consists of a casing 3 containing an electric fan 4 attached to rotate with the armature 5 of an electric motor, the field coils 6 of which, as well as the armature and the fan, being enclosed within a portion 7 of the casing. This casing 3 has a downwardly extending stem portion 8 which is supported in vertical position in a sleeve- 9 supported by the base 2. The blowing unit 1 3 has an arm 10 which extends laterally. from the stand at its upper end from the portion 7, this arm 10 being hollow and having positioned therein an electric heating unit at 11. To the outer end of the arm 10 is attached a head 12, which, as shown, comprises a pair of plate portions 13 and 14 fixed together at their lower ends as at 15 and spaced apart at their upper ends by lugs 16 and 17 on these parts, the lugs being fixed together at their adjacent ends as by the pin 18. This head, therefore, provides a frame work open at its opposite sides as at 19, these openings being in communication with the hollow of the arm 10 and imperforate on the sides facing the shoe sole and the foot receiving opening. This head is so shaped that it may support the heel end of a shoe 20 which may be hung over the upper end of the head where the lugs 16 and 17 are positioned. When so suspended the openings 19 come opposite to the side and back portions of the counter so that the hot air projected out through the arm 10 by the fan impinges directly thereon. I

In order to prevent the hot air from reaching thetoe'portion of a shoe, which commonly has a stiffener, deriving its stiffness from thermoplastic material, it is desirable to block off the toe portion of the shoe. For this purpose a rubber sponge as shown at 21 may be used though other materials might be substituted if desired. 7

At 25 is shown a switch actuating button by which the supply of current led through the base 2 by the wires 26 to the motor and the heating element may be controlled.

While other arrangements might be used if desired a common arrangement for hand blowers in which. one turn of the switch sets the fan in operation, the next turn energizes the heating element and the third turn shuts olf both the fan and the heating element is quite satisfactory. While any suitable fan and heater mechanism may be employed, as shown the fan as at 4 comprises a plate having blade elements 30 cut and bent laterally therefrom. The heating element as shown comprises a support of insulating material consisting of a rectangular plate member 35 and a pair of similar but narrower members 36 supported at right angles to the member 35 and substantially at the center of width thereof on opposite sides, these plates having wound thereabout a resistance wire 3f7, thus leaving ample space for the air to be blown thereacross within the hollow of the arm 10. As shown in Figure 5, the plates 35 and 36 may be held in assembled relation at one end as by means of an element 40 shown best in Figure 5. This element has spaced arms 41, i

the opposite sides of which are bent toward each other in U form to receive the end edges of the plates 35 and 36 therein. At the opposite end these plates 36 may have attached thereto lugs 45 having threaded stems 46 which may be passed through suitable openings in a spacer 47 which fits within the interior of the arm 10, these members 45 being used as the terminals for the resistance wire 37, the outer ends of the stems 46 having nuts 50 thereon and serving as binding posts for the electric wires 51 leading thereto from the switch, the actuator of which is shown at 25.

An embodiment of the apparatus and the method intended to be practiced thereby having thus been described, it should be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications might be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a stand having a hollow arm projecting laterally therefrom, a head at the outer end of said arm comprising a pair of plates spaced to provide lateral openings communicating signature.

HARRY H. BECKWITI-I.

with the hollow of said arm and over which the heel portion of a shoe may be supported with said lateral openings adjacent to the sides of the counter portion of the shoe, and means for blowing heated air through said arm to escape through said lateral openings into contact with the shoe supported on said head, I

2. A device of the class described comprising a hollow arm having a head at its outer end, said head being shaped to have the heel end portion of a shoe suspended thereover and presenting imperforate walls toward the sole and the foot receiving opening of the shoe and having lateral openings therethrough directed toward the sides of the counter of the shoe and communicating with the hollow of said arm, and means for blow- 

